Performance Platforms is a programme which will use the performing arts to provide compelling opportunities for intercultural dialogue between young people in the Near East/North Africa (NENA) and the UK.
The programme will create and exploit platforms for young people to interact and work together, to debate and discuss, to agree and disagree. The main strength of this programme lies in its ability to use the performing arts as shared ground, a safe space where young people may express themselves and learn from each other. The intention is that they will be able to move towards a better understanding of themselves and their abilities, an enhanced appreciation of their differences, a positive perception of the others, and ultimately towards positive social change.
Performance Platforms engages with students, theatre professionals and audiences - across NENA and the UK and sets in motion dynamic networks of creative collaboration.
Through capacity building and exchange of expertise in the performing arts, the programme will establish different levels of partnerships across the region and in the UK. As well as setting up institutional partnerships, the programme will build and maintain capacity among individual artists from the region, creating or strengthening creative collaboration with the UK.
The programme will support creative collaboration between emerging artists in the NENA and the UK to enable these young voices to be heard towards increased international exposure, enhanced awareness and real dialogue. In addition, Performance Platforms will give support to theatre in translation in both directions, fostering a network of talented new-generation translators who will have access to international publishing and theatre networks, and allowing audiences in UK and in the Arab world access to new work.
For further information, please contact Imed belkhodja@tn.britishcouncil.org
The 4ème Art theatre hosted a training theatre skills with the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts
“They learnt to look at light in a very creative way” said Matthew Prentice, Head of Lighting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA) who delivered a training for trainers on Lighting and Theatre Electrics in collaboration with the British Council at the 4ème Art theatre in Tunis from 7 to 12 June.
The workshop targeted trainers of technical theatre in drama schools and head of technical departments in theatres from Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco.
This workshop was the starting block in a long-term programme for capacity building in technical theatre. The programme, which falls under the Performance Platforms regional project, provides a framework of training and support to engage those involved in technical theatre in this region and to increase the effectiveness of technical training and practice in the theatre industry. This in turn helps to increase students’ chances and opportunities of creating their careers within the industry.
Khalid El Othmani, one of the Moroccan participants and technical director of many festivals, said” I think that the training met its target as we trainers learned a lot. Because I will deliver many training sessions, I will make use of Matt’s pedagogy based on encouraging participants to be creative by using the techniques they have learnt”.
Following his visit to the Higher Institute of Dramatic Art (ISAD) when he met the Director and had an open session with students, Matt commented “they do excellent work with very limited resources”.
He added “the participants are lovely people to work with; they are creative and very interested in all we have to teach them. I know they learnt a great deal from the week.
One of the Tunisian participants, Mrs Alia Zahaf, teacher at the ISAD, mentioned that ‘it was a great opportunity to meet with colleagues and share experiences with them. I discovered the British tradition of lighting and a new way of teaching which uses a lot of group exercises. Matt’s attitude and passing on information are original”.
Concerning the Algerian participants, they mentioned that “the training went well; we hope we will become more familiar with the software and catch on with new technologies in the future”.
Matt Pretence, who promised the participants to keep in touch with them, declared “I will discuss with the British Council the possibility of organizing further workshops in the region to help and support them”.
During the closing ceremony, the participants were awarded certificates
A similar workshop for trainers from Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestinian Territories and Egypt was held in Damascus last March.
Royal Academy for Dramatic Arts (RADA)
The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art was first established in 1904. It has built an outstanding reputation as a world-renowned centre of excellence. We know how important it is, however, to keep the training relevant to the ever-changing industry and we are constantly striving to maintain and improve our courses, by expanding the range and depth of training we offer, by maintaining links with the industries that employ our graduates, by working with exceptional teaching staff, by involving leading figures of international standing as visiting lecturers, directors and designers and by providing the best possible facilities such as our three in-house theatres.
For more information, please visit www.rada.org
The United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities.
A registered charity: 209131 (England and Wales) SC037733 (Scotland)
Our privacy and copyright statements.
Our commitment to freedom of information. Double-click for pop-up dictionary.
Open the original version of this page.
Usablenet Assistive is a UsableNet product. Usablenet Assistive Main Page.